Albert is from Sydney but in 2007 is understood to have run advertisements in Christchurch newspapers advertising exclusive rights to energy drink vending machines in the South Island.
He's accused of showing the alleged victims a website for Laqu Vending Ltd and stating that he would provide all that was needed for the franchise to go ahead, including training in sales, technicians for the machines and setting up a website.
The company name was then changed to Specialised Vending Ltd.
The victims claim, in total, they handed over $480,000 to Albert for the machines.
Although 17 machines were supplied they allegedly could not carry out one of their supposed main tasks of monitoring sales in real time.
The victims allegedly discovered there was no exclusivity for sales of energy drinks through Albert's company and that anyone could buy a machine and find a location for it.
Albert was last in New Zealand in July 2008, and his company, Specialised Vending, was struck off the Companies Office register in July 2009.
His arrival into the country at the weekend alerted border officials.
He was arrested as he tried to fly out on Tuesday.
